Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, raised the final steel beam on the new, soon-to-be 76,000-square-foot Orthopedic Center of Excellence earlier this week.
The two-story vertical expansion above the hospital’s existing Orthopedics Pavilion and Emergency Department building will house 35 fully private patient rooms, a rehabilitation gym for orthopedic patients and a 10-room Emergency Department Rapid Decision Unit. It is expected to be completed in the fall of 2024.
“With this milestone, our steel framework is complete and we are now one step closer to opening a state-of-the-art facility that will offer patients world-class care close to home,” Patrick Delaney, chief administrative officer, RWJUH Somerset, stated.
“Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset has built a reputation in orthopedic care that draws patients from throughout the region,” Bill Arnold, executive vice president, RWJBarnabas Health, president, RWJBarnabas Health Southern Region, and CEO and president, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, said. “This new facility will ensure that we can address the expected growth in joint surgeries in our communities, and that we have modern amenities and advanced capabilities to attract top physicians to this center of excellence.”
Enhanced patient privacy and comfort were the guiding principles of the design of the new center, which will feature private rooms with amenities such as convertible sleeper sofas for patients’ family members who wish to stay overnight, as well as USB ports and work areas. The rehabilitation gym is conveniently located on the same floor and provides the opportunity for patients to begin physical therapy on the same day of surgery, preparing them to go directly home from the hospital.
The project will also include a 10-room Rapid Decision Unit for RWJUH Somerset’s Emergency Department. Patients who require additional observation will occupy these rooms, helping reduce wait times in the Emergency Department and offering increased comfort for patients and their families.
“What makes Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset so special is more than just the bricks and mortar,” Jack Morris, chairman of the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital board of directors, said. “We are privileged to have an outstanding health care team, including surgeons, nurses and therapists. Their skills and talents combined with their compassion and dedication make this more than just a place of care, but a place of caring.”
The expansion project is the most significant construction project on the hospital’s campus in 16 years. The hospital’s recent renovation projects have included a three-year cardiology renovation and expansion project, new Same Day Surgery Unit, new Rehabilitation Services Department and renovations to the Maternity, Radiology, Behavioral Health and Eating Disorders units.
